The "replacement lynx" programme was started years ago (approx. 10+) as an unsolicited bid from WHL, to the services', known problem of airframes running out of hours. This would have been identified by industry post GW1 when most of the Lynx fleet was shagged and needing repaired after operating in the Gulf. There was a very limited spares package available to draw on at that time; no change there then.
The programme has had several names, however the premise of this programme has always been to buy a product from WHL regardless of which product that was. Those of you that read the industry press will have seen over the years that various types of aircraft have been muted as the solution to the capability that is written in the URD for both BRH & SCMR. NH90, Merlin, ME Littlebird, more Apache (for the Army), Blackhawk/Seahawk, etc. All of those types could and would have been built in Yeovil. Despite what you might prefer the procurement strategy has been steered by what money is available in the near future (next ten years) and not by looking at the "Whole Life Costs" (twenty to thirty years).
This meant that the defence minister at the time gave WHL an indication of how much he was willing to spend and that was how the price was set. Initially the capability required the numbers of aircraft to be 102 for the Army and 45 for the Navy all for the princely sum of £1bn, but once the horse trading known as "Cost Capability Trade Off" started the numbers dropped and the ones that were left have very little in the way of capability left in them. What it has got is a very good design for the airframe which will be able to operate in the places we work today quite effectively. However, the avionic pieces of kit are mostly "fitted for but not with".
This is the way of defence spending, when "defence inflation" runs at about 9% and the MoD gets increases in funding at about 3%, this means that the procurement people are always trying to play catch up with a decreasing budget but increasing costs; I don't envy them.
Stressless
